1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plunger for unclogging drains and pipes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention is a plunger that utilizes fluid compression to force clogs from drains or pipes. The fluids are selected from the group consisting of air, water, and/or other fluids generally found about the clog. The plunger also removes obstructions by reverse action, thus causing a "vacuum" to draw the clogging material. Although there are numerous prior inventions for plungers, it will be seen that none are equivalent to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,684,880, issued on Sep. 18, 1928, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,706,315, issued on Mar. 19, 1929, both to Norton, each discloses a pump having a cylinder, a piston within the cylinder, the piston attached to a first end of a piston rod and moved through the cylinder via a handle at other end of the piston rod. A sealing cup is disposed at the end of the cylinder for enclosing the drain opening so that movement of the piston in the cylinder causes a pressure differential (either positive or negative) at the clog, thus resulting in the movement of the clogging material unstopping the drain.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,697,842, issued on Dec. 28, 1954 to Meyer, discloses a combination hand and air force pressure pump and plunger. This device uses a complex arrangement of valves and conduits for causing a pressure differential at the drain clog.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,280, issued on Jan. 27, 1976 to Tancredi, discloses a piston and cylinder drain-flushing device having a restricted aperture through which fluid is expelled forcing a high pressure fluid stream at the source of the clog.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,597, issued on Jun. 27, 1978 to Duse, discloses a drain opening device having a fluid filled pair of telescoped cylinders for creating a water jet upon pushing together.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,451, issued on Feb. 5, 1980 to Ruo, discloses a plastic sanitary pump including an inverted bowl shaped elastic disc having an inner and outer rim for sealing the pump about a drain opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,114, issued on Apr. 6, 1993 to Christopher, discloses a drain clearing device having a transparent and hollow cylindrical body, a piston plunger assembly, and a drain seal at the bottom of the cylindrical body formed of closed cell sponge rubber.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,094, issued on Jun. 4, 1996 to Balazs, discloses a water plunger for clearing clogged drains having a tapering collar member at its bottom end for seating in a drain opening.
U.S. Pat. Des. Nos. 292,631, issued on Nov. 3, 1987 to Tash, and 364,251, issued on Nov. 14, 1995 to Novak, disclose conventional plunger designs.
British Patent No. 633,348, complete specification accepted on Dec. 12, 1949 to Suarez, discloses a device for cleaning or clearing sinks and the like, with a metal cylinder, a piston like device inside the cylinder moved by a handle outside the cylinder, with a rubber tube on the end of the cylinder opposite the handle.
British Patent No. 2,236,157, published on Mar. 27, 1991 to Houselander, discloses a pump type apparatus for unblocking a waste pipe, having a sealing member in the form of a suction cup for seating about a drain opening.
European Patent No. 250,877, published on Jan. 7, 1988 to Griessner, discloses a pressure actuated drain unblocking device having two resilient bell-shaped members mounted one over another, with a tube through both that is connected to a manually operated air pump.
Italian Patent No. 468,475, published Jan. 22, 1952 to Mascheroni, discloses a pump for clearing drains with a cylinder and a handle driven piston.
W.I.P.O. Patent Document No. 87/03320, published on Jun. 4, 1987 to Girse, discloses a manual device for clearing blocked waste pipes having a hand-pump which is fitted a flexible suction bell and flexible a check-valve for creating a vacuum in the clogged drain.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.